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October 28, 2010The LA1 Coalition continues to seek federal construction money to complete the elevated highway project between Port Fourchon and Golden Meadow.
The coalition had submitted a request for $100 million to the “Tiger 2” grant program, which is administered by the U.S. Dept. of Transportation. The money would have funded portions of the project between Leeville and Golden Meadow. However, the program had only $600 million to disburse. The LA1 project was denied.
“The individual grant awards in the Tiger 2 program are tremendously lower than the $100 million we requested in order to present a full-financing package of $300 million to construct phase two of the LA1 Improvement Project,” said Henri Boulet, who serves as the coalition’s executive director.
Nearly 1,000 applications – the largest of which was $48 million – sought awards from the Tiger 2 program, according to Boulet.
Despite disappointment at not being selected, Boulet said it is possible funding could be generated in highway or energy appropriation bills in the upcoming congressional session. The coalition is also exploring other possible “partnerships” for financing the eight-mile stretch of road between the new Leeville overpass and the southern Golden Meadow town limit.
Geotechnical work, rights of way and property acquisition is ongoing in the meantime, Boulet said.
The elevated segment of highway from the Leeville overpass south to Port Fourchon is over 70 percent complete, and is on schedule to be finished by late 2011, the director said.
